Rebuilding
by Aeriths-Rain
Summary: To rebuild Midgar, Rufus had to rebuild the trust of those Shinra hurt most. To do that, he needed to give them what they wanted most. He just wanted what he needed in return. Post AC, RufusVincent
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing:** Rufus/Vincent  
**Disclaimer:** None of these characters are mine, they are © Square Enix  
**AN:** This is a project I am doing in preparation for NanoWrimo, and I aim to write a story of 7000-10000 words in a week.  
**Thanks to:** Alyssya, for introducing me to this pairing. I borrowed a couple of the ideas from our rp, as I was struggling to find another way of bringing these two characters together.

* * *

The young president shuffled the papers on his desk, smirking a little in satisfaction as he placed more files into the "completed" pile. The regeneration of Midgar was slowly taking shape, and Reno's recent suggestion of monitoring the street children by tagging them had proved a huge success. The children had been more than happy to comply, with no protests, as long as they got food and their allowance of five Gil. There was only one more meeting for today, and it was something he had been looking forwards to for a long time.

The other man should get here soon. While he waited he double checked his notes. Everything was perfect. He was just beginning to relax when his secretary alerted him to the fact that his guest had arrived. He shuffled the papers on his desks, setting out the relevant files and photographs so that the visitor would be able to view them.  
"Send him in."

He continued looking at the notes as the door opened, glancing up only when he heard the other man cough awkwardly. That was good. He had made a small show of power, and though the purpose of this meeting was to solve old enmities, he couldn't let all the power lie with the other man. His ice blue eyes met the other's startling red ones.

"Vincent Valentine" He murmured, indicating the seat opposite him and nodding as the other man sat. His mouth was open slightly as he stared at the other's stunning beauty, lips twisting into a secretive smirk as he saw the other's face grow red with indignation at the photographs spread out before them. Of course, he could understand the other's distress. He wouldn't want to have been called into another's office and presented with such files of himself. He sat in silence for a minute, listening to the awkward breathing of the other as he tried to calm down.

He spoke when the other seemed to have got his feelings back under control, unable to keep the taunting tone from his voice. It was all going so well. He had only just started, and already here was Vincent, flustered and confused before he had even spoken.

"I guess you are wondering why you are here?" He asked, flicking through one of the files and stopping on a page full of photographs from Vincent's autopsy.

Vincent practically snarled, biting down on his lip and nodding. He refused to let his distress show. It wasn't fair. Rufus had no right to be messing with his head in this way. The metal fingers in his gauntlet clenched together, making small dents into the golden metal.

Rufus paused, a slight twinge of guilt in his chest. He hadn't meant to upset the other man; he had just been teasing him, but Vincent clearly didn't find it funny. He spoke again, more calmly, trying to reassure him, without being difficult.

"I wanted to… express Shinra's regret about what happened to you." He gestured quickly over the files, nodding as Vincent flicked through it, his eyes widening slightly as he was reminded of some of the things that happened, and saw how detailed the notes about his hell had been. He glared up at Rufus. He hadn't even said sorry, just made some foolish comment about regretting what had happened.

"And that makes it all better?" He asked; sarcasm and anger dripping from his voice. It wasn't enough. He slammed the notes closed, standing and heading towards the door.

Rufus gasped as the power he had worked so hard to achieve just fell away. He felt all the strength crumbling down; and he tried to cling onto his plan.

"Vincent!" The other paused and he took a moment to calm himself and continue. "Vincent, I called you here for a reason. Not just to apologize… I want to help solve the problem."

Vincent frowned slightly, confusion written on his brow. He had no idea how Rufus of all people would be able to help, or more to the point why he would want to. That was the question on which he seized, as it was one he felt he could have some control over. That and he didn't want to have to build his hopes up only to have his dreams slashed by the other's sick sense of humor.  
"Why would you help me?" This question shocked the other man. Rufus wasn't used to having to explain his motives to anyone, least of all someone to whom he was offering a slight kindness. The president's pride stopped him from answering that question, and instead he moved onto a different topic, shaping the conversation in the way he wanted it to go.

"I can remove the demons. Though it won't make you age completely normally, it will shorten your lifespan, and mean that should you choose to attempt to end your life" a glance down at the notes, another reminder he was in control "again, you would succeed. I will also destroy the notes, and get you new identification papers, enabling you to live a basically normal life." His gaze fixed on the other's face. He looked so hopeful and frightened and confused. Perfect.

Vincent looked up, trembling. This man was offering him everything. He wasn't going to trust him. They had been enemies, and Rufus didn't owe him anything. The only thing he had done to aid him was rescue two of his Turks, and he had not done that for Rufus's benefit.  
"What do you want in return?"

Rufus laughed, leaning back in his chair. Vincent clearly knew him far too well. There were a lot of things he wanted in return, but he wanted those willingly, and demanding Vincent gave me what he wanted in exchange for the files seemed to defeat the object of what he wanted to gain.

"I want you to become my bodyguard."

Vincent paused, staring at him in confusion. It would give him a chance at living a normal life, but he would risk betraying and losing his friends, and would have to cooperate with the enemy. He heard a noise in his brain, Chaos's voice whispering through his mind.

"_You'll never be free."_ Vincent bit his lip and nodded. He'd guard Rufus to have these demons taken away. Anything to keep his sanity.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Well, day 2, and I'm on the second chapter. So far so good. Not quite so much happening in this chapter, but it's necessary for the plot, and to set up the scene for the future chapters.  
**Pairing: **Rufus/Vincent  
**Warnings (for the whole fic):** Male relationships, violence, bad language, Reno

* * *

Vincent looked through the contract on the desk. Ten years, in exchange for an eternity. He read through the relevant portions again, ensuring that he had everything fixed in his mind. He would be Rufus's bodyguard, and in return, Rufus would remove the demons that were inside him, and give him a chance at having a normal life. He picked up the platinum-plated pen in his human hand and signed his name, writing swirling on the page. He stood up.  
"It is getting late, I should be getting home."

Rufus raised one elegant eyebrow, smirking slightly.

"Yes." He stood, walking from the room. Once in the hallway he stopped and turned around, staring back at the bewildered man in the room. "You are to accompany me home." He turned away as he saw the other man's emotions change from curiosity to fear. "I have many spare rooms. You will take one near mine to ensure no attempts are made on my life." Vincent nodded, sighing slightly and standing to follow him.

When he arrived back at Rufus's house he was shocked by just how extravagant it was. The houses of all of AVALANCHE could have fitted into it twice, and there still would have been room to spare. Rufus guided him around, pointing out the kitchens, the servant's quarters, swimming pool and rifle range. Vincent was shown his room, a few doors away from Rufus's own. Though it was barely half the size of the young president's, it still had an en-suite bathroom, a walk in closet and a king sized bed. The bookcase was full of the classics. Rufus paused and handed Vincent a card.  
"This is your security pass. It will enable you to gain access to any room in the house whenever you want." Vincent took it, looking at the other man in curiosity. He was surprised Rufus was going to trust him with access to the rifle range. "I am relying on you Vincent. You gave me your word. I am the only one with the power to restore your humanity, so you should think twice before betraying me."

Vincent nodded, and Rufus left the room. A little while later, having called Tifa and explained the situation, much to her intense disgust, he was ready to fall asleep. He had checked over the house twice, and found the original security provisions more than sufficient. It raised questions in his sleep-addled mind about why he had been employed. He locked the door and lay down in the bed, eyes closing shortly after.

Rufus calmly opened the door, holding his own security pass to deactivate the lock. He walked over to Vincent, watching the gradual rise and fall of his chest in sleep. Growing bold, he reached out and brushed his hair from his eyes, smiling at the silken feeling of the ebony tresses. He stroked his fingers through Vincent's hair again, and then, reassured that Vincent wouldn't waken, leant down and softly pressed his lips to the other mans. The gunman let out a slight noise in his sleep, and Rufus crept from the room.

The next morning, Vincent awoke unaware of what had happened the night before. He ate breakfast alongside Rufus, and made sure to thank the kitchen staff for such a wonderful meal, secretly surprised when Rufus did the same. He had never imagined the manipulative man thanking anyone.

They drove to the building, and Rufus gave him another tour, making sure to stress any weak spots in the security. The ventilation was particularly vulnerable, as Reno had made a habit of using it to move from one part of the building from another, and this could be copied by an intruder. Rufus led Vincent from the building, from the top floor down, explaining anything that could be of use. When it got to the science labs and the basement, Rufus merely stated what the levels were before moving on. He paused when the tour was over, back up at the ground floor.  
"You will have no need to go into the laboratories aside from when we remove the demons." In that way, he had shown he understood that Vincent didn't want to go back there, and shown sympathy without making Vincent seem weak.

Vincent nodded gratefully, walking with Rufus to his meeting and standing by the door, listening without real concern to the meeting. He grew more interested however when he realized what the meeting was about. Rufus was looking at ways of improving the slums, and was trying to find a solution which would really help those in need. More than that though, Rufus was neither bribing or blackmailing the owners of the companies he needed to assist him, but instead was offering a well paid contract for whoever achieved a suitable plan. What surprised him even more was Rufus's insistence that the new houses needed to be "suitable for human habitation, sanitary and heated in the winter." It was impossible to imagine the late president showing any concern for people in the slums. Vincent began to believe that Rufus's claims of trying to rebuild the city were true, and that maybe life could change for the better under him.

Finally the meeting was over, and Rufus retired to instruct the Turks. Vincent found himself relaxing in the calm atmosphere. Though Rufus was clearly in charge, giving clear orders, he was joking with the Turks, even allowing Reno to make the occasional snide comment. Vincent felt himself beginning to fit in with these people, to see them as his equals. It was just like his past, and he could tolerate it. He could possibly even fit in. He was stuck here for the next ten years, in return for his humanity, and he was determined to make the best of it.

"Now, tomorrow we are going on a mission to check on the ruins of Neibelhiem and ensure the mako reactor is properly closed off. Vincent, Reno and Rude you shall be accompanying me."

Reno shivered slightly, turning his attention to Vincent.  
"You better not try and bite me vampire." Emboldened by the atmosphere, he bared his teeth, smirking. Reno yelped slightly, before laughing with the others.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Day 3. I'm reasonably pleased with how well this is going, but it's taking longer to write each day than I expected. Still, I hope you are all enjoying it, and thank you for the reviews! There will be more information about the group tomorrow!  
**Pairing:** Rufus/Vincent  
**Warnings:** Violence, foul language, male x male relationships

* * *

Vincent opened his eyes early the next morning, staring up and backing away slightly in surprise at finding a pair of ice cold eyes staring down at him. He relaxed a moment later as he remembered where he was. He stretched, forehead creased as he wondered why his boss was watching him sleep.

Rufus blushed, moving further away and murmuring an apology, before taking a deep breath to console and focus himself.

"You were late. I came in to wake you." He hoped that the other man would be satisfied by that explanation. Since Vincent gave no sign of protest, he felt reassured, and headed out. Vincent followed a few moments later, and he led him to the limousine, sitting beside him on the way to the headquarters. Once they were there, he headed up to the helicopter, a slight shiver of concern running down his mind when he saw Reno sitting in the pilot's seat of the helicopter. It wasn't that he didn't trust Reno, more that Reno didn't have the best history of piloting flights. He crashed frequently, but he had never caused any major accidents, and no deaths.

The helicopter lifted up off the ground, and Vincent paled slightly. He had not had much experience with flying, and he only wanted to be in a plane under Cid's control. Not that Cid would be near him anymore. He didn't like him now, not after he was working for Rufus. The helicopter flew high above the country, heading to the town of Neibelhiem. Aside from turbulence, the flight was reasonably comfortable, and Reno even brought the helicopter down without any problems.

Vincent was the first out of the helicopter, leading the way to the manor. He didn't want to go here, but Rufus had said it was necessary. As it happened, he didn't reach his old prison. As the others were disembarking from the helicopter, a burst of smoke went off.

"What the hell?" Reno shouted, automatically bringing out his electromag, the rod crackling with energy as he switched it on.  
"VINCENT! GET BACK HERE!" Rufus screamed, gathering the Turks around him. Vincent ran back, looking around and trying to find out what was causing the commotion. He reached the main group of Turks just as a volley of shots rang out. Reno tried to drag Rufus back towards the helicopter, but found the way blocked by flashing metal piercing the disorientating smoke. Rufus was panting now, his entire body trembling. As a child he had been involved in several hostage situations, and he had no desire to repeat the experience. He clung tightly to the closest person to him, memories forcing him to act far weaker than he normally would be.

Vincent turned around in shock at finding someone wrapping their arms around him. He was shocked even more to find that it was Rufus clinging to him, hands fisted tightly in his cloak. He automatically stroked his hair, to try and reassure him, even as he aimed the gun at one of the people holding a sword. He shot off one bullet, trying to weaken the ring of attackers around them. A gap appeared, and he pulled Rufus through, Rude and Reno following close behind, firing off shots and bursts of electricity at the attackers.

Reno overtook the others, reaching the helicopter first. He switched it on, flicking the switches and preparing for takeoff. This wasn't meant to be happening. He sighed in relief when Rufus was bundled into the helicopter. The other two didn't follow.

Outside, Vincent and Rude were deep in a fight. They had been overpowered, and yet Vincent kept fighting, dragging Rude who had been knocked out closer to the door. He pushed him in as a bullet hit the back of his neck, piercing his spine and knocking him to the floor. Any other man would be dead, but his immortality and the demons within him meant that he kept on breathing. Reno saw him fell, and made a decision. He pushed the button to slam the door closed, and kick-started the engine, lifting it up off of the ground.

Rufus screamed out when he realized what was happening, reaching over to the door and trying to wrench it open. Even though he knew the basic idea, the fact that in an emergency you might have to leave someone behind, he couldn't cope with it happening. Especially not Vincent. He had been the one to propose Vincent worked here, and he was becoming more and more certain that he had made the right decision. He had got to protect him. He screamed as they rose higher, only the locks on the doors stopping him from throwing himself down. His mind was filled with the picture of Vincent asleep, a slight blush across pale skin, mouth slightly open.

Back on the ground, the assassins evaluated their bounty. This was far from what they wanted. They had been expecting to kill their target, Rufus Shinra, and instead they had found themselves presented with a pale young man who was still breathing despite all the reasons that made it clear he shouldn't. The most major of which was the bullet through his skull.

The leader used tweezers to pull the bullet out, smirking at the way he stuttered and struggled as his body healed the wounds. He looked at the blood pouring out, smirk widening as he heard the man whisper.  
"Rufus…" Maybe he could be of use after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Chapter 4. If you are reading this feel free to leave a review with any advice. Yesterday's chapter was a little short, so I'm hoping to make this one longer and with better description.  
**Pairing:** Rufus/Vincent  
**Warnings:** Violence, bad language

* * *

Vincent opened his eyes and instantly wished he hadn't. The first thing he became aware of was the fact his hands were tied behind him, followed quickly by the fact he was gagged and in a dark stone room. He started panting, terrified, before his injured mind focused on the window in the far corner. He relaxed a little then, because he wasn't in the lab. He tilted his head and continued looking around. A whimper left his mouth. He knew where he was, for now at least. The Shin-Ra mansion.

Rufus stared at the map spread on the table before him. There was no sign of what had happened, and there was no sign of who had kidnapped Vincent. The phone started to ring. Tseng walked over and picked it up, signaling for silence. "Is it them?" Rufus whispered. The Turk nodded and Rufus reached over and plucked the phone from his hand.

"Rufus Shinra here." There was a pause before the voice on the other side of the telephone spoke. During that moment, Rufus checked that Tseng was trying to trace the call. He just had to keep the scum talking for long enough for the call to be tracked, and then he could ensure Vincent was returned and would continue with his job of guarding him and hopefully doing more.

"Your friend's 'ere…" The voice was deep, male, and clearly from the slums. Rufus wasn't entirely sure, but it sounded like someone from under sector 7. That wasn't good, they blamed him for the deaths Reno had caused. "'ey, you, vampire…" There was the sound of a body being dragged, and then the sound of fists and feet pummeling flesh. There was a slight groan of pain that made Rufus's heart leap into his throat, worsened a moment later when there was the sound of bones snapping, followed by a cry of agony.

"Stop that." Rufus's voice was angry but deadly, the voice of someone who was used to his orders being unquestionably obeyed. The only answer was another cry of pain from Vincent.

"'e keeps healin'. 's makin' it 'ard to do permanent damage. Don't worry tho' we'll manage.." Cruel laughter filtered through the receiver, sending a shiver of fear through Rufus's spine.

"Wh…what do you want?" His voice was shaking now, far less in control, and it was only Rude's sudden hand on his shoulder that focused him and reminded him he was in charge of this situation.

"We can swap if ya want, with a ransom, or we'll jus' keep him.." The leader reached down, grabbing Vincent up by a chunk of his hair and holding the phone in front of the pale man. "'e was calling for ya earlier… ya ain't in love with him are ya?" Vincent spat in the other man's face and he snarled, driving his fist into Vincent's gut, making him gasp and yelp in pain.

Rufus was shaking far more than he would ever admit. He was the emotionless, stoic leader of the company, someone to whom emotions, especially the concepts of friendship and love, were to be strangers. Yet here he was, trembling as he heard someone he had made work for him, and who probably wouldn't even care if he died, be hurt.

"That is irrelevant." He paused, wondering why he said those words. A simple no would have sufficed. The ghoulish laughter echoed out of the telephone. He wanted to smash it, and hunt down these men and shoot them, and then reprimand Vincent for allowing himself to get caught. It was a rookie mistake. Rude had been knocked out, and rather than leaving him he had risked his own life to save him. Now Vincent was in danger and Rude was safe, and somehow a part of him would have preferred it to be the other way around.

"We'll call back later. When ya had time t' think 'bout whether he's worth shit to ya." The line went dead and Rufus turned to Tseng, a nearly frantic expression on his face. Tseng nodded, holding up a map in which he had circled the location. They were still in Neibelhiem, and were closer to the old town than the new one. A smaller red circle was inside the larger one, around the ruined Shin-Ra manor.

Tseng pointed to that building.  
"It is the only place habitable in the area. Though, it isn't somewhere you would wish to stay for long, it is overrun by monsters." Seeing the concern in Rufus's eyes as his skin paled he continued, "those are mainly in the basement though, and I'm sure they wouldn't pose any risk to Vincent." Rufus nodded, trying to hold onto those thoughts.  
"We will start a rescue mission as soon as possible." His certainty was back, and even Tseng, who normally would have advised Rufus that this was a foolish venture, understood that it was something necessary for him.

In less than half an hour everything was ready and the helicopter lifted off for the second time in under 24 hours, heading to the small town that was ruined years ago by the hero of the Shinra programme.

"Well, he ain't said if he wanted you back." The man muttered, staring down into red eyes filled with hatred. He ran his large fingers through the tangled black hair, giving it a slight tug. He ran his thumb over the rapidly fading bruise across Vincent's eye, smirking when his skin was dampened by blood. He had to admit, the man had put up a good fight, but in the end his superior strength had won through. He nodded at the other man's snarl, seeing his own mako enhanced eyes reflected in the gunner's. "He thought he could jus' forget about us SOLDIERS, jus' cos that Sephiroth.." The word was emphasized with a snap, as he bent one of Vincent's fingers back past breaking point. "thought" snap "he" snap "was" snap "God." The last of Vincent's fingers snapped and the cries that had been building through the torture burst out, louder than ever, accompanied by tears of fear running down his face. He could have coped, if this had been happening in Midgar. But not here, not in this place where nightmares were so real he could still smell the scientist, remember every whispered word.

He closed his eyes and prayed that someone would save him, even though he knew it was hopeless.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Well, 5th day, Thank you for all the reviews and help, it is so encouraging!  
**Pairing:** RufusxVincent  
**Warnings:** Violence, bad language

* * *

The helicopter blades cut the air as it headed down to the ground, whirling up clouds of dust. It landed on the ground, a short distance from the manor. Reno had chosen a spot that was out of sight, and that therefore should enable them to have the element of surprise over the kidnappers. The team slipped closer to the mansion, Rufus stroking the cold barrel of his shotgun. He would get Vincent back, and he would make them regret ever trying to take Vincent from him.

Tseng led the way towards the manor, noticing the single guard stationed outside the door. Without the smoke, they could see him clearly, but he was yet to look at the small group. The lead Turk calmly raised his dart gun and fired, nodding once as the man fell backwards, dead, with the poisoned dart embedded in his neck, and no noise. The group continued forwards, slipping the door open with no difficulty.

Rufus looked around, a shiver going down his spine. It was the first time he had been here since his father's death, and he had always detested the building. It was falling apart, unclean, and he had been planning to demolish it. He watched as Tseng headed up the decaying stairs, seeming to know which bits of the rotten wood to avoid. He didn't want to be here, but his resolve strengthened when he heard a cry of pain from upstairs. No one could take Vincent from him. Vincent was his, no one else's, and anyone who tried to take him away would suffer.

Vincent lay curled up on the floor, trying to resist the burning agony coursing through his body. He was in a pool of his own blood, and almost all of the bones in his body were broken. The demons within his body were overstretched, and could barely try to keep him alive, let alone worry about healing the wounds. He used his tongue to check his teeth. They were loose, but not as loose as they had been, and he tried to tell himself that was a good sign. These madmen couldn't hold him here forever. He was immortal, and they weren't, and Hojo was dead. Sometimes, that simple knowledge was the only thing that he could use to block out the demons' screaming.

Vincent closed his eyes tightly when he heard footsteps on the stairs, followed by shots and screams. He wanted to call out for help, but he couldn't make a sound other than the occasional cry of pain. He could feel tears slipping down his face. He didn't want anyone else to suffer, not again; he had already caused so many problems.

"_She'd be alive if it wasn't for you_." He whimpered louder, trying to make the voice in his head be quiet, to stop tormenting him. He hadn't meant for her to die, but he hadn't been there when she needed him. From then on, he had been trying to save lives. Cloud's, Tseng's, Elena's, and now Rude's. All it had bought him was more suffering, and no sense of redemption or forgiveness. He could remember Hojo telling him he deserved this, and now he had no choice but to agree. These people outside were fighting, and he couldn't move to help them. He couldn't stand let alone fight with them.

"VINCENT!" He sat upright, gasping in pain. Someone out there was calling for him. Someone had come to save him. His prayers had been answered. Maybe thirty years too late, but they had still been answered. He closed his eyes as a burst of light hit them, the door being flung open.

Rufus and Tseng had proceeded up the stairs, leaving Rude and Reno to deal with the remaining elements of the revolutionaries. They may have been SOLDIER, but years of civilian life had slowed their once lightening reactions to little faster than the Turks own, and without the element of surprise on their side, they were overpowered. Reno and Rude managed to stun all the rebels they found in the downstairs compartments with little difficulty. What they hadn't realized was that the leader was in the room above, supervising the prisoner.

Rufus spun around in surprise as the door slammed shut once he had entered the room. He had seen a red-caped figure in the corner which had to be Vincent, and was now facing the man who had shut the door, the man who had masterminded the whole operation.

"What d'ya think yure doin'?" He snarled, staring at the white coated president in sheer disgust and shock. He had never expected him to come here. This wasn't how the plan was meant to go, but it would just make his task of killing the man even easier, screw all the ideas of blackmail.

"Rescuing Vincent." Before the young president had even had a chance to think he had buried his fist in the other man's face, shattering his nose and causing a cascade of blood to pour down. He kicked out at the other's shin, moving him away from the door so that he could pull it open and Tseng could come in, and once the Turk had taken over, he was able to run to Vincent. The state the other man was in sent shivers down his spine. He looked terrible, but he knew that Vincent had healed from worse. "Vincent, it's alright, I'm here…" He whispered, stroking the ebony hair and murmuring soothing words. His heart skipped a beat as Vincent's eyes opened in hope and relief.  
"Rufus…"

Rufus stayed with Vincent whilst the Turks returned the insurgents to the Shinra cells. After a few hours Tseng returned, and he helped Rufus to carry Vincent back to the helicopter. The wounds were beginning to heal, and Rufus assumed this was a good sign, though Vincent seemed to be suffering under a kind of delirium. He was tossing from side to side, murmuring names. The two that Rufus could pick out were Hojo and Lucrecia. He kept stroking Vincent's hair, waiting anxiously for his strength to return and for him to wake up.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** Day six, just one more chapter left after this! Thank you for all the reviews, and for tolerating the bad spelling and mistakes!  
**Pairing:** Rufus/Vincent

* * *

It was two more days before Vincent and Rufus returned to work. It had taken a day for Vincent to come around, all his injuries healed. The next day, Rufus had felt that the other man wasn't prepared for work again, needing to give his mind a time to heal. He had got Vincent to talk to him, going through both what had happened that day, and through the information held in the notes. Vincent had tried not to get upset, but occasionally he had seemed close to tears. Rufus had held him in those moments, murmuring the comforting words that Tseng had often told him. That it was alright, that the problems were over, and that he wouldn't need to suffer again.

During the course of the day, he had learnt what Vincent's life was really like, to live constantly with the demons. To never be able to think clearly, as you would always hear the monsters in your mind. To be constantly cursed, constantly reminded of every single mistake you had made. He pitied Vincent far more than he thought he could. The man suffered, and he hadn't ever understood how badly before.

Rufus had chosen to take the time off until his bodyguard recovered. The official reason was that he needed to be guarded constantly, but the real reason was that he felt Vincent was the one who needed to be guarded. He felt a tight feeling in his chest, which he thought might have been guilt. He was responsible for prolonging this man's agony. He sighed.

On the third day, Vincent opened his eyes to find himself staring into his boss's face. Rufus had fallen asleep there, and rather than move him, Vincent merely held out his arms and moved the other man closer to him. It felt quite nice, lying next to someone who slept. It reminded him of his time in AVALANCHE, moving around and keeping your friends within arm's reach. He reached out his metal fingers, ghosting them across the president's face, lips twitching upwards slightly as Rufus tilted his head to gain more contact. After a few seconds the man's eyes opened and he jerked away, a slight blush on his face. Any previous suspicions Vincent had had of being observed while he slept were entirely confirmed, but it didn't bother him as much as he had expected.

"Uh... Vincent…" Rufus stuttered, trying to construct a sentence after having his emotions so rapidly revealed. Vincent shrugged, sitting up and stretching slightly.  
"We should go to work today." Vincent knew how badly paperwork would build up if it was left unattended for too long. Rufus nodded, taking that as a signal to get out of the room and prepare for the day ahead.

A little while later Vincent walked into the kitchen, dressed in his normal clothes but hair still dripping wet from the shower. Rufus glanced up at him before looking down firmly, focusing on eating his breakfast, refusing to allow his thoughts the path they wished to follow, or to allow himself to imagine Vincent greeting him like this every morning. Rather, Vincent could greet him like this, but it would merely be because they shared a house, and not because they shared a bed. He signaled for Vincent to sit and eat, ignoring the other man as he complied. It meant nothing; Vincent had no feelings for him.

The two of them headed out to the Shinra Headquarters, and Rufus went through another day of work. There were no assassination attempts, and the paperwork had built up rapidly during his absence. There was also an extremely boring meeting detailing the finer points of waste management in the rebuilt areas of Midgar. It was only Vincent's presence beside him that stopped him from attempting to jump out of the window, and only the constant kicks at his ankle that stopped him from falling asleep.

These were all signs of something Rufus was rapidly coming to realize. Whilst before work had always seemed tolerable, it now appeared to be almost unbearably difficult without Vincent beside him, to aid and assist, and just to be there. It was reassuring, in the middle of a board meeting with directors to whom you were just a method of earning money, to know that someone was there on your side.

Eventually the day was over, and Rufus took Vincent to his favorite restaurant. Far from the Golden Saucer and other such gaudy delights, the restaurant they headed to was extravagant beyond belief. Painted the same immaculate white as Rufus's outfits, the walls glistened with pristine purity, the lighting soft and the cutlery platinum. Vincent looked around in shock, stunned by the sheer beauty and power of the place.

The waiter nodded at Rufus's approach, leading him to the best table in the house, handing a menu to both men and then retreating to the shadows. The other patrons of the restaurant turned to look at the two men, total opposites of each other but still both breathtakingly beautiful. Rumors started running around, as people tried to calculate why two such stunning men would be dinning together.

Rufus ordered the wine for both of them, and slowly explained each course to Vincent, realizing that he was unsure of what they would taste like. Eventually Vincent settled on eating a steak, and Rufus chose a meal of truffles in white sauce. Vincent felt his face darkening when he realized how much the dinner cost. He was flattered that Rufus valued him enough to be willing to pay so much. The meal alone cost more than he would earn in a week as a Turk.

When the dishes arrived the beautiful aromas filled the air, making Vincent's mouth water. It was all he could do to prevent devouring the food, and yet he managed to exercise restraint. Rufus didn't manage as well, happily spooning up some of his food, holding it up for Vincent to eat. Vincent leant forwards to take the food into his mouth, smiling up at the man. It was delicious, and in return he fed Rufus a spoonful of his food. Rufus grinned at him, encouraged, and continued sharing his food with Vincent, wondering if the other man understood his feelings more than he was revealing.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Last day! Thank you for all your support over the last week. I know this was written quickly, but I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you could include any advice in the reviews I would very much appreciate it, but any reviews are loved. They are really inspiring.  
**Pairing:** Rufus/Vincent

* * *

A week passed. Rufus learnt to rely on Vincent more and more, depending on his help with every difficulty. Vincent had proved himself to be both a highly skilled body guard and a good advisor. He'd learnt to trust him; he'd talk through the problems and learn to understand his difficulties from another perspective. It made life so much easier. But as his life was getting easier, he realized that Vincent's life was getting harder. He had lost contact with all of his friends, and he was being forced to work here to end his prolonged life.

It was when he saw Vincent flicking through his notes, hand lingering over the photograph of that woman, that he realized he had no choice but to change the deal.  
"Vincent?" The man had jumped away, embarrassed at being caught. There was a light blush over his face, guilt covering him. He shouldn't be here, he wasn't meant to be looking at his notes.

"Rufus…" he murmured, looking down in shame.  
"I've come to a decision. Look at me." Vincent raised his head, awkward and concerned. "I've decided that this isn't fair. It's not right, and I can't keep doing this. Listen to me Vincent, I'm offering you freedom. I'll remove the demons, and destroy your files, organize new papers for you. You won't need to stay here." He paused, walking over to the filing cabinet, removing Vincent's contract and tearing it into two in front of his eyes. "There, you're free."

Vincent stared at it in shock, watching at the scraps of paper fluttered to the ground. It was over. He'd get to live a normal, problem free life. He smiled as the paper hit the floor, considering the new life that awaited him.  
"You will need to come in for me to remove each demon." Rufus's voice was calm, with a tinge of something else. Maybe regret, maybe even hurt. But he made himself promise Vincent the freedom that he knew in his heart the other man desperately needed. "Other than that, you are no longer in my employ." He smiled up at the other man calmly, heart racing and on the verge of tears. He had to let Vincent go.

Vincent stared up in wonder, slowly nodding. He was going to have a human life, no more demons. The clamor in his head sounded louder than ever as they realized that he would soon escape, but he managed to ignore it. He thought of the lifestream, which would slowly consume his friends. He could join them there. Endless possibilities of normality hung in front of his eyes. He could live normally.  
"Thank you…" He whispered, voice breaking. He was being given a fresh chance. He looked up, staring at Rufus. He didn't seem happy. He looked as though he was filled with regret, as though he was making a choice that he really didn't want to make.

"Rufus…"He paused, trying to reason through why he was making this offer. It was stupid, but he wanted to say it. "I don't mind staying here." He had made a lot of friends, and being part of Shinra, part of the Turk's again, just felt right. He would happily work for Rufus, choosing to do so entirely freely. The president's eyes lit up at the offer and he smiled, clinging to the proffered words.

"Alright. You shall remain." There, no arguments, no thanks. Well, there was thanks, in his soul and on his face, but he wouldn't speak it aloud. He smiled, deleting the notes and offering Vincent a pile of his own notes. "This is the details of how we will remove the demons. The process will begin next week."

Vincent smiled, leafing through the pages. No more demons. He would have a new life. Rufus smiled as well. Vincent had chosen to stay. He would delete these files, remove the demons, and keep the saved back-up of the notes in case Vincent tried to leave. They would be together now. Until they both died.

**AN:** Well, I did it! XD sorry for all the mistakes and badly worded phrases. I won't write so fast in future, though it was very fun to work to the deadline!


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